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Rust to Riches, Blue's 98 Ranger

I bought a set of torx bits from autozone last year when I did my head gasket. I think aroud 20 dollars for a whole set versus 10 dollars for one or some similar cost.
 



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I had the same issue with the seat swap in my 01. I used 93-97 extended cab seat tracks with explorer seats and they bolt right in with the exception of drilling the mounting holes a little bigger. I tried the cutting the rivets route, unless your 4ft tall your head will be in the roof. Use the earlier model seat belt bracket too, you will need it to mount your buckles. I had to cut some metal off the back side of them for my buckle with pretensioner to fit correctly.

Bed bolts are T55 also
 






Got the bed off today. It's bad, very bad, fixable, but going to really suck.
bed off:
QSSbrJQ.jpg


tire carrier:
ODtsltD.jpg


driver frame behind springs:
qv2Kk5F.jpg


frame under gas tank (both crossmembers by the tank are bad as well)
Fthk1TV.jpg
 
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Mmmhmm the side effects of unprotected metal and road salt.

It would almost seem easier to find a roll over southern truck for the frame, axles, and other important items.
 






Mmmhmm the side effects of unprotected metal and road salt.

It would almost seem easier to find a roll over southern truck for the frame, axles, and other important items.

unfortunately that isn't in budget or time constraints, back of the frame is getting cut off, I'll buy either some plate or box tubing to rebuild it, then new spring hangars and shackles, plate up the holes farther forward (gas tank and all cross members are going to go and be rebuilt, I may keep the one above the gas tank and just reinforce it) Or for the very back I might just buy some thick 5" (didn't measure frame width/hight) wide channel iron so I can use stock brackets etc.

I don't know I need to come up with some sort of plan and materials/parts list and go from there I guess. It's just kind of discouraging is all.
 






Yeah, I looked around my area and the cheapest ranger wouldn't be the correct year. The trucks in your year range are easily 7 times what you paid for yours.
 






Yea around here a truck similar to mine with less rust but same condition mechanically are usually like 1500 and ones with mild rust and mechanical issues too are a bit more, no one sells their ranger if it isnt in some way a POS basically. I rarely see a nice one for sale at all and thats anywhere in Maine (I look in a catalog called unclehenrys that is like craigslist for maine but with more listings.)
 






I know about uncle Henrys. There's a show called "Down East Dickering". I love that show.
 












I know New Jersey might be to far but I thought I'd run this by you. Looks perfect for all your needs. If the moneys right.... could be worth a weekend trip.

https://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/pts/4914153259.html


Thanks for the link but I currently only have my school computer and they block craigslist for some reason. I dont think I'll have they money to buy anything really, I could get maybe 2-300 for scrap and maybe another 2-300 from parting it out if I'm lucky, and then I wouldn't have enough time to fix whatever I bought up enough to use by the time my explorer's registration and inspection run out. Like I said, its all fixable, just sucky to have to do..
 






I know about uncle Henrys. There's a show called "Down East Dickering". I love that show.


lol yea I have heard of the show, seems a bit over dramatized to make it funny, most of us Mainers aren't quite like that but uncle henrys is still pretty good.
 






I'm sure there's extra drama involved with the show.
 






Dude that sucks, WOW I thought our winter took its toll on vehicles. lope off a rear frame section from one at the wreckers that way you get all the shackle mounts. and can cut and weld further up into better material. z notch them both and weld them back together the z notching makes for better alignment and strength , should be fine.
 






Dude that sucks, WOW I thought our winter took its toll on vehicles. lope off a rear frame section from one at the wreckers that way you get all the shackle mounts. and can cut and weld further up into better material. z notch them both and weld them back together the z notching makes for better alignment and strength , should be fine.

yea Im probably going to get some box tubing or C channel and cut the sides in a > shape and cut the frame to match and butt weld them with a chunk of plate over the joint to strengthen it, then plate up some of the other little holes farther forward.
 












So, I'm not sure what to do right now..
I bought some stuff that was perfect (made for me) to use on the last 3 feet of frame rail, but I got home and started hitting stuff with the hammer and um the whole back of the frame and the middle driver side is VERY THIN and there is a lot of rust around the gas tank. I don't know if I should keep going with the repairs or try and make some of my money back by parting it out and start over on something else, if I can find something else...

New rails..
gsyRvNy.jpg


Rust
7RmdC3A.jpg

3V8yW7e.jpg


Anyone near Maine interested in anything off of this? I doubt it would be easy to make most of my money back on it at this point by selling it in local ads.. not sure if it's worth saving though.
 
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well, I guess I'm still fixing it. Rebuild the back 3ft of frame, plate up the outsides of both frame rails, rebuild crossmembers from scratch.. just not sure how I'm going to find the time to do it is all.
 






Days are getting longer, warmer weather coming. Keep your head up and your hands on. You'll be OK.....We've seen what you can do.
 






Ditto....keep working on it! The work is half the fun! :D
 



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Days are getting longer, warmer weather coming. Keep your head up and your hands on. You'll be OK.....We've seen what you can do.

Thanks, Though I don't think I have taken on anything quite like this, nothing on such a large scale. Basically rebuilding the whole back 3/4 of the frame from little or scratch..

Ditto....keep working on it! The work is half the fun! :D

I do enjoy working on this sort of stuff but when it is a vehicle you need to be able to drive by a certain time and you paid way too much for it and it is just one new problem after another, it becomes very not fun.


Now, new little development, I will probably not rebuild the frame to the point I planned. I think what I'm going to do it beef it up to where it is safe to drive and will take a inspection sticker, and make it look nice and run good, then list it for sale, drive it until it sells, put the money towards another vehicle, most likely another ranger. These plans might change but right now, thats the idea, I'm still rebuilding a lot of frame and patching any holes, but the areas that are thin but solid are just getting sanded down and undercoated.

I Will deffinitely keep updating this as it seems you guys are still very interested, though having a resale as the end-goal isn't as fun, and to be honest I kind of like this truck. I might even try to find another 98-00 when the time comes.
 






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